Image above is sourced from FreeMalaysiaToday (FMT).

Bullying is a real concern for school authorities, teachers, students and parents / guardians. The general public and authorities and all interested parties must continue its concerted efforts to help bring intense focus and awareness to this malaise. MCPF will continue its efforts with the Education Department, JPJKK IPK and IPDs in Penang and other NGOs to help address and curb this ongoing scourge.

This article first appeared on FMT.

KUALA LUMPUR: Almost seven out of 10 children in Malaysia worry a lot about bullying, according to a new global survey issued by the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) in conjunction with World Children’s Day today.

This is compared to only three out of 10 in Japan or close to four in 10 in the UK.

Unicef in a statement said Malaysian children also worried about other global issues such as violence against children (64%) and terrorism (60%), while their top picks for world leaders to focus attention on were education for the poor (17%), poverty and terrorism (15%).

The comparative survey involved 11,000 boys and girls, aged between nine and 18 years, in 14 countries from all regions across the world, including Malaysia, Brazil, Egypt, the US and India.

“The global Unicef survey echoed findings from the Children4Change opinion conducted locally in Malaysia in terms of children’s concerns and priorities,” it added.

Unicef expressed hope that World Children’s Day would inspire governments, businesses and communities around the world to listen to children, and incorporate their opinions in decision-making processes that affect them.

Around 30 children from across the social spectrum in Malaysia will participate in the “take over” the Malaysian media programme today to make their voices heard on World Children’s Day.

Officially established on Nov 20, 1989, World Children’s Day marks the day on which the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child in 1959 and the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989.